Staying Safe

Since Holly and I are trying get our website in shape, I started thinking about some of our first books. More like a “where are they now” type of moment. This particular book always made me laugh and I wondered if I could find it and really take a look.

I found a copy and I have looked at this book cover to cover. I am cracking up even harder than I did in 2009. It is still an awesome book, complete with some lovely late 1970s fashion and women fending off criminals. You will notice in our first safety scenario a guy with a paper bag on his head is grabs a woman’s breasts. Really. For all our librarians, you will appreciate the scenario of being attacked in the library. Note the book on the floor: Escape from Freedom by Erich Fromm (1941). Nice artistic touch for the scenario. Too bad there is a continuity error in the next photo when the book disappears. Maybe the criminal wanted a newer edition? If you want to see the original post, click here. There is a nice pic of the table of contents.

In time of Emergency
a citizen’s handbook
on Nuclear Attack Natural Disasters
Department of Defense
1968

Straight from the 1960s, here is your comprehensive guide to surviving a nuclear attack and/or a natural disaster. This book has all the pertinent information on creating a fallout shelter, recognizing symptoms of radiation poisoning, and medical emergencies.

The natural disaster section is rather thin in comparison and is really just basics of listen to the radio and follow instructions of authorities in your area. The tornado section advises opening all the windows, which is now inaccurate.

My generation was taught to hide under our school desk in order to dodge “the Bomb”. Every school kid practiced civil defense drills, just like a fire drill. Evidently your average school desk is resistant to atomic rays.

This book contains lots of helpful advice, from wearing a hat to prevent radiation to calculating the body count from the bomb’s epicenter. Even with some grisly death counts, the author assures us that “authorities” will still be in charge and that nuclear war is survivable. So pack your Geiger counter and hat so you can be ready when “the big one” comes.